Georgia Tech accepts Hyundai Sun Bowl bid

ATLANTA -- Georgia Tech has accepted a bid to play the University of Southern California in the 79th annual Hyundai Sun Bowl Dec. 31 in El Paso, Texas. The game will kick off at noon (MST) and will be televised by CBS.

The Yellow Jackets will make their 16th consecutive postseason bowl appearance, tying for the fourth-longest current streak nationally. Tech will also make its second straight trip to El Paso, where last season the Jackets lost to Utah, 30-27, in overtime.

Georgia Tech, 6-7 overall, is coming off a hard-fought 21-15 loss to 13th-ranked Florida State in the Dr Pepper ACC Championship Game Saturday night in Charlotte, N.C. The Yellow Jackets overcame a 2-4 start (1-3 in the ACC) to win four straight conference games and finish 5-3 in the ACC.

Southern California, 7-5 overall and 5-4 in the Pac 12, won six of its first seven games after being ranked No. 1 in many preseason polls.

"Our players and coaches are excited about earning another bowl bid and for the opportunity to play a traditionally powerful team in Southern California," Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson said. "The hospitality shown to us last year by the Sun Bowl and the people of El Paso was fantastic.

"We know we will face a huge challenge in the game. USC has talented players across the board and Coach (Lane) Kiffin will have his team well-prepared, I'm sure."

Georgia Tech will make its 41st bowl appearance overall, tying for the 12th-most appearances nationally. The Yellow Jackets are 22-18 all-time in bowl games. Only nine schools have won more bowl games than Tech.

USC, 32-16 in 48 bowl appearances, has the highest winning percentage in bowl games (.667) in the nation. Only Alabama (34 bowl wins) has won more bowl games, and only Alabama (59) and Texas (50) have appeared in more bowl games.

The Yellow Jackets will play in the same bowl game two years in a row for the third time in school history. Tech played in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 1, 1999 and on Jan. 1, 2000. The Jackets also played in the Sugar Bowl following the 1951 and 1952 seasons.

Tech will be making its third all-time appearance in the Hyundai Sun Bowl. The Jackets beat Texas Tech, 17-9, in the 1970 game, and lost in overtime to Utah last season.

The Yellow Jackets and Trojans will meet on the football field for the fourth time and for the first time since Sept. 22, 1973 when then-No. 1-ranked USC beat Georgia Tech 23-6 in Bobby Dodd Stadium/Grant Field. The other two meetings came in 1969, a 28-19 Trojan victory in Los Angeles, and in 1961, a 27-7 Georgia Tech win over 7th-ranked USC in Los Angeles.